Reminder device



Sept. 28, 1965 D. DAHLSTRAND ETAL 3,208,772

REMINDER DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1963 6 O U \J INVENTORS Donnabe/le Duh/sfrand Josef X Dah/sfrand BY WM 9% ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,208,772 REMINDER DEVICE Donnabelle Dahlstrand and Josef Y. Dahlstrand, both of 811 E. 58th St., Indianapolis, Ind. Filed Dec. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 327,463 2 Claims. (Cl. 283-63) The present invention relates to a remainder device or check-ofl device for remembering a number of items or remembering a number of steps or a certain procedure that must be followed repeatedly at intermittent periods or intervals of time, such as in purchasing supplies or replenishing inventories, or in operating a device.

The present invention will be illustrated in connection with a remainder device in book form for use in purchasing supplies such as for recording food and often-purchased grocery items, although it is to be realized that the invention is not to be specifically limited thereto but that it has many other uses.

In accordance with the present invention, a small, looseleaf type book or folder is provided in which is disposed a number of loose-leaf sheets or pages with indicia or markings, preferably in printed form, printed thereon. The pages or surfaces having the printed material thereon are covered by a transparent material so that the printing may be readily viewed therethrough and the transparent material is of such a nature that it is suitable for having check marks and the like made thereon with a grease pencil or China marker so that the marks may readily be erased or removed therefrom by rubbing with a finger protected by a small cloth or tissue paper. The individual pages are further provided with indexing means, such as tabs or the like, with printed matter thereon so that a person may readily turn or flip the pages to the desired subject matter. for holding a grease pencil or other marking means for producing the markings on the transparent material.

In accordance with the present invention, the reminder device contains a number of pages having printed thereon an itemized list of the things to be purchased at the store, for example, the supermarket, with one page containing the meat items, another page containing the produce items, another page containing the condiments, another page containing the household items, the baking needs, and so on. Each tab or index marker contains the general subject matter under which the individual items generally fall. Before the visit to the store, the person who is going to make the purchases marks a check mark with the grease pencil upon the surface of the transparent pages next to each item which is to be purchased during the next visit to the store. The items to be purchased, of course, are those which the person is out of upon checking their normal inventory or place of storage. The pages are provided with a vacant area or space where unusual or unique items falling in the same classification may be added if necessary.

Once the list of items to be purchased at the store is made, the person is then reminded upon the next visit to the store to obtain these items, after which the check mark is removed or erased by rubbing with a small tissue, cloth or the like. The reminder device is then ready for use again once the purchase items have been used.

It is also apparent that the reminder device of the present invention can be readily used for many other tasks and chores. For example, it can be used in a household in connection with the operation of a sewing machine where it is necessary to follow a certain procedure or number of steps in using a sewing machine, in baking, such as adding certain ingredients to make a cake, cookies and the like, in operating machines in connection with do-it-yourself hobbies, in starting the gas stove pilot, the

The book is also provided with means 3,208,772 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 house furnace should the automatic gas pilot go out, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reminder device which makes it unnecessary to completely write a new list for the purchase of items at a store upon each visit, and particularly where the list is substantially the same list of items at periodic intervals.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reminder device that eliminates overlooking the purchase of any desired item in a store.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reminder device that can readily be used in the home to check items and the sequence of operation of devices which might otherwise be overlooked.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reminder device which permits a check of available stock or inventory before a visit to the store or place where the stock may be obtained.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reminder device with means for providing check marks thereon, which check marks can readily be blotted out or removed by erasing or wiping out upon the transparent pages of the device so that the pages may be used repeatedly. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a reminder device in book form which, from repeated use thereof, becomes familiar to the person using it and thus contributes to speed and convenience in the making of purchases.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and illustrating in perspective the device of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the reminder device of the present invention which device comprises a loose-leaf book or folder with a front cover 12 and a back cover 14 secured by any well-known means to the central portion or binding 16. The binding 16 is provided with identical spaced loose-leaf rings 18 of well-known construction for removably securing Within the confines of the front and back covers a plurality of individual sheets or pages 20.

The front cover 12 is provided adjacent its outer side edge with a cylindrical container member 22 closed at the bottom and open at the top for receiving therein a grease pencil or China marker 24. The overall size of the loose-leaf reminder book is preferably small enough to fit easily into a handbag or a pocket in clothing.

Each page or leaf 20 of the device is preferably rectangular in configuration and provided with a tab member 26 extending from the outer edge thereof. The tab members '26 are disposed vertically in spaced relationship with each other so that they may readily be observed and provide an indexing means for the subject matter desired on the pages. Each leaf or page 20 of the device is further provided with printed indicia thereon. For example, referring to the drawing, it will be observed that one page has the heading or title Fresh Meat thereon with further printing listing or itemizing the specific pieces of meat, such as beef, oven roast, and the like. The tab member 26 of this page has the general subject matter Meats printed thereon. Other pages have the general subject matter of produce, baking, condiments, etc., printed on the tabs thereof, with each page having an itemized vertical list of the specific items falling under the general classification printed thereon. Preferably, each page has a list of items printed on both sides thereof, that is, the front side and the rear side, with the subject matter on the rear side being different from that on the front side. Referring to the page listing the items of meat thereon, the rear side may have a list of frozen meats desired to be purchased or other items. Disposed adjacent each printed side of a page is a sheet of transparent material, such as acetate or other plastic material. As shown in the drawing, the page containing the itemized list of meats has disposed adjacent thereto, or between one printed page and the next printed page, a transparent sheet 28 so that the printed list of items can readily be read through the transparent material. It will be observed that the transparent material sheet 28 is substantially coextensive with the printed page 20 except that the tab member 26 extends beyond the transparent material so that the appropriate page desired may be turned to readily. Instead of having alternate transparent pages disposed between printed pages 20, or two transparent pages 28 disposed between each pair of printed pages 20 where the front and rear side of the pages 20 are printed on, the printed pages 20 can be enclosed within an acetate transparent envelope. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a printed page 20 that is encapsulated or laminated within transparent plastic material so as to form an integrated single sheet of material.

The inner edges of the printed pages 20 and the transparent pages 28 are provided with three vertically aligned openings therein with reinforcement members 30 surrounding the openings so that the pages may be readily turned without inadvertent damage or tearing of the pages. -It is also realized, of course, that the number of rings 18 in the device and the number of holes of the pages may be varied as desired. It will be noted that the printed indicia, and particularly referring to the page 20 upon which the itemized list of needs are printed, are not completely filled with items so that unusual or unique pieces of m at that are not normally purchased may be added to the list as desired. For example, beneath stew and before the item of chicken, there is a space provided so that the purchaser may insert canned corned beef, and so on.

The method of using the device of the present invention is to check the cupboards, refrigerator, freezer, and other places where food and household items are normally stored. Thereafter, the grease marker 24 is utilized to make a check adjacent the item and on the page cataloging the particular list of items that have to be purchased at the store. The transparent material 28 is easily marked by putting at grease mark, such as a check as shown in the drawing, adjacent the item the person needs to purchase.

After the entire stock of items has been checked, the device is ready for placing it in a persons handbag or pocket for the visit to the supermarket or grocery store, and serves as a reminder of the items to be purchased.

During the visit at the store, as each item is obtained the grease check mark 'beside it is blotted out or erased by rubbing it off the transparent material with a finger, a cloth or tissue paper. This insures the purchase of each and every item that has been checked. After completion of the purchases, the reminder device is now ready for the next checking of item for subsequent purchases.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the invention provides a reminder device which makes it unnecessary to tediously rewrite a complete new list of items for each visit to a store, which list of items are often essentially the same list. The present invention further eliminates overlooking in the store the purchase of any desired item and serves in the household as a reminder to check items which otherwise might be overlooked.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of the parts shown, but that thy may be widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A reminder device comprising a loose-leaf book with a front and a rear rectangular cover, a central elongate arcuate binding portion with said front cover and said rear cover along their adjacent edges to the opposite side edges of said central binding portion, said binding portion being provided with vertically spaced and laterally extending loose-leaf rings for removably securing within the confines of the front and back covers a plurality of individual pages, a plurality of individual opaque pages having spaced vertical apertures adjacent their inner side edges corresponding to the number of loose-leaf rings on said binding portion, said rings extending through said page apertures to mount said pages thereon, said pages having a list of grocery items and the like printed on the front side of each page, each page having a tab member extending outwardly along its outer side edge with printed indicia thereon corresponding to the list of items printed on its front side, said tab members being disposed vertically along said page outer side edges out of alignment with each other so they can be readily read, said pages and ta-bs being substantially shorter in length and width than said front and rear covers so as to be disposed within the boundaries of said covers, transparent sheets with vertically spaced apertures adjacent their inner side edges corresponding to the number of loose-leaf rings on said binding portion, said rings extending through said sheet apertures and securing said sheets thereon, said transparent sheets being coextensive in length and width with said opaque pages, a hollow cylindrical tube disposed along the front cover adjacent its outer side edge, said tube being closed at the bottom and open at the top; and a grease marker disposed in said tube for making erasable check marks on said transparent sheets adjacent the items printed on said pages.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein another transparent sheet is disposed adjacent the rear side of each of said pages, and the rear side of said pages is provided with a printed list of items on it, and the rear side of said tab members has printed matter thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 763,091 6/04 Dodsworth 283-63 2,332,425 10/43 Aranoif 28l-30 2,461,536 2/49 Farkas 28363 2,986,144 5/61 Shepard 28338 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner,

LAWRENCE CHARLES, C I-IARDES A. WILLMUTH,

Examiners. 

1. A REMINDER DEVICE COMPRISING A LOOSE-LEAF BROOK WITH A FRONT AND A REAR RECTANGULAR COVER, A CENTRAL ELEONGATE ARCUATE BINDING PORTION WITH SAID FRONT COVER AND SAID REAR COVER ALONG THEIR ADJACENT EDGES TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF SAID CENTRAL BINDING PORTION, SAID BINDING PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH VERTICALLY SPACED AND LATERALLY EXTENDING LOOSE-LEAF RINGS FOR REMOVABLY SECURING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL PAGES, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL OPAQUE PAGES HAVING SPACED VERTICAL APERTURES ADJACENT THEIR INNER SIDE EDGES CORRESPONDING TO THE NUMBER OF LOOSE-LEAF RINGS ON SAID BINDING PORTION, SAID RINGS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PAGE APERTURES TO MOUNT SAID PAGES THEREON, SAID PAGES HAVING A LIST OF GROCERY ITEMS AND THE LIKE PRINTED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF EACH PAGE, EACH PAGE HAVING A TAB MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY ALONG ITS OUTER SIDE EDTE WITH PRINTED INDICIA THEREON CORRESPONDING TO THE LIST OF ITEMS PRINTED ON ITS FRONT SIDE, SAID TAB MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED VERTICALLY ALONG SAID PAGE OUTER SIDE EDGES OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER SO THEY CAN BE READILY READ, SAID PAGES AND TABS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTER IN LENGTH AND WIDTH THAN SAID FRONT AND REAR COVERS SO AS TO BE DISPOSED WITHIN THE 